Operations and ceremonies of the Detroit Police Department.
Shotlist
Film on Detroit Police officers in two-parts one on the annual Detroit Police Field Day; the other on the hiring and training of cops. Annual outdoor police rally
Battalions of police department members march, ride horses and motorcycles and otherwise parade past the camera's lens.
Stock shots:
Police marching bands. Close-order drills.
Track and field events. One division of policewomen seen.
Hiring and training of officers. Target practice. first aid classes. Cadets, in what appears to be their underwear, practice "commando" movements with rifles in a gymnasium.
Lie detector / polygraph.
Drunkometer / breathalyzer; ballistics test consisting of firing a gun into a box. School crossing; walking the beat. Helps little girl eating ice cream cone. Precinct map. Dispatchers. Police cars.
Police respond to holdup. Shots fired; bang bang. Cop shot.
Surprise shots: Plainclothes cops all wearing light-colored fedoras and suits march past. Real cops acting as clowns including a couple in drag. Tug-of-war
Voiceovers:
"this is your police department in review. These are the guardians of your city."
Domestic disputes called "family trouble."
"Joe had visions of being a hero, of defending some frail little woman whose husband was mistreating her. But in this case, Joe was told by a ruffled lady of the house to mind his own business. If she and her husband wanted to throw things at each other, that was their business."
¥ 6:42:60- 06:53:65
Nice image of a store-lined street in Detroit. Women leisurely walk by the store windows. A police officer walks in the opposite direction, and turns to look at a man walking by.
¥ 11:42:00- 11:54:07
A police car speeds by a line of traffic on a downtown Detroit street and rounds a corner. Pedestrians stop and stare. Detroit looks more like a town than a city.
¥ 18:21:47- 18:49:60
Strange image of retired policemen dressed as clowns running around a track at the Police Field Day in Detroit. One of them rides a bicycle and two others are strung together. They wave to the crowd. Cut to clowns dressed in wedding gear and then to a man dressed in drag (with a surly expression) slowly walking by the crowd.
polygraph Detroit, Michigan (History and culture) Danger Lurks
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Reviewer:Dodsworth the Cat
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March 13, 2023 Subject:
We're Your Police. Why Not Like Us?
"These are the guardians of YOUR city," urgently says a narrator, "The men and women who are always on duty." Well, I guess unless they are in a football
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stadium marching, riding horsies, pulling on a rope or running the 100-yard dash. Lost kids and harridan women throwing things at husbands will have to take care of themselves. Jam Handy cameras spend the second half of this Detroit police PR film filming a Detroit police PR event. The first half is the story of Joe, who wants to be a police hero. He starts out with a line of identical shirtless guys taught to take orders. Hurray! He reaches his dream--he has his own 1950 Ford squad car. But his partner is shot in a hold-up (the assumption is a crook did it) and hobbles out (the implication is he recovers from a flesh wound). Then he realises police are high insurance risks. Where can they get money in case you-know happens? Enter the second half where we see a Field Day to pay for it. This film is from a day when few talked about police racism, or police corruption, or thought that police clowns were scary, in a Detroit that was a well-groomed economic magnet of America. Jam Handy's usual professional handiwork is evident here.
0:33 - Downtown skyline - Penobscot Building 0:43 - 1:17 - Univ of Detroit Stadium 6 Mile & Livernois 1:18 - 1:42 - 1300 Beaubien old Police Precinct
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& HQ 4:05 - 4:27 - 4747 Woodward - old 13th Precinct FRONT 4:28 - 4:39 - 4747 Woodward - REAR 4:40 - 4:43 - Pulling onto Hancock toward Woodward 6:12 - 6:18 - University of Detroit Stadium 7:35 - 7:52 - 13331 Mark Twain St. 7:53 - 8:11 - probably Grand River north side near Mark Twain 8:12 - 8:16 - 13341 Mark Twain St. 8:17 - 8:31 - probably Grand River near Mark Twain 8:33 - 9:04 - Police Precinct Station unknown 9:40 - 9:49 - Driving east on Forest at Avery 9:50 - 10:07 - Driving south on Avery stopped & crossed Forest 10:08 -10:48 - 13314 Mark Twain - 13308 to the right 10:49 -11:10 - unknown grocery store 11:11 -11:33 - NE Corner of W. Forest at 14th - view eastward along Forest 11:34 -11:40 - Pulling out west onto 14th south and onto Eastbound Grand River Ave 11:39 - Strand Lounge Bar - 4641 Grand River Ave. 11:41 -11:52 - Car approaching southbound Grand River toward 14th again - Turned north on 14th 11:53 -13:18 - Unknown "payroll office" 13:19 -13:34 - 4747 Woodward - old 13th Precinct FRONT 11:44 -end - University of Detroit Stadium McNichols & Livernois Traffic on McNichols
Reviewer:JayKay49
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March 17, 2021 Subject:
Detroit Police Dept 1950's.
Until the mid 30's it was WASPs only. No Hunkies, no dagos, no coloreds. Not the high paying job in the mid 50's, either. But steady work. Years later
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(1970's), my gay partnered buddies were both cops. Took some time but it's been "diverse" for a long long time. 1/2 of this is the Field Day. I noticed one of the several decorated cops was a Jersey White. Look carefully.
Reviewer:junya
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October 20, 2012 Subject:
Celebrating hometown militarism
Roughly half of this video is Detroit's home-movie version of "Triumph of the Will", and shares the Reich's gender ideology: "...the guardians of your
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city: the MEN of the Detroit police department" (Yes, MEN is emphasized) "...these are the guardians of your city, men who work together 365 days a year to serve the people of Detroit. Work together as an integrated team..." But then, despite this ballyhoo of about men protecting the city, and after the uniformed policemen and all-male plainclothes detectives march by, we see: "...some of Detroit policewomen, officers of the law, from the women's division loyal, like their brother officers, to the departmental motto: TUEBOR - I will protect." Dressed in outfits that look somewhat like nurse uniforms they, unlike their "brother officers", apparently protected without the use of guns, as they appear to be unarmed. Now that's what I call a thankless job. This is the era that some recall so fondly. Perhaps the urge to be recognized as equals explains why today it is not uncommon to see US policewomen outdo their brothers in brutality.
Reviewer:Nikonwilly
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March 21, 2010 Subject:
Detroit
Wild look at a Detroit most here hasn't ever seen. Notice, not one African American on this force....when did this change in Detroit ? Corporatism was
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just starting to propagandize the Country and we fell for it hook line and sinker. I think there was still actual respect for the badge and city at this point , but it wasn't too long after it all changed.
Reviewer:doowopbob
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March 16, 2010 Subject:
Yu Kiddin'..?
Today They Will Taser You To Death, Kill You & Plant A Weapon.Beat You To Death In Jail.!..I Keep Radar Detectors In My Cars, Not For Speeding..I
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Want To Know Where They Are..!...Can No Longer Tell Who The Criminals Are..!
Reviewer:stuporduck
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August 1, 2008 Subject:
this is your police department
I love this chestnut of early 50's Detroit,before the fall..i know it seems corny to all you born after the 80's..back then it wasn't a crime to love your
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city or country.your generation will never know a Detroit that wasn't a basket case..i left detroit in 1972..the city died the day after i left it..i was 11 then..detroit will never recover. ever..
Reviewer:fijiII
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July 18, 2008 Subject:
History
My father was one of the detectives. More than likely we were in the stands at the U of D Stadium. My family has a combined total of close to, if not
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more than, 300 years service the Police and Sheriff departments of southeastern Michigan.
Reviewer:jazzfan
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June 5, 2008 Subject:
First Half Of The Video Is OK, But.....
The rest of the video is all half-time. Who's watching the city while these guys are marching around and around? This piece of work needs some editing
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unless you like half-time shows.
Reviewer:Andruschak
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March 30, 2008 Subject:
Memories
My father was one of those Detroit Police Officers. The Field Days were held in the University of Detroit stadium, two shows Saturday, two shows Sunday.
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Later (late 50's??) it moved to Briggs Stadium and cut to a single day. In '51 I was 4 years old. In '52 I became one of the Police Clowns, along with the sons of other Police Clowns. The only one I recognize is Humphrey, and only because he is riding his Humphrey Cycle -- the tricycle with the house.
Reviewer:norton67
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January 17, 2008 Subject:
and ABOVE ALL Joe,
be alert ! The city of Detroit needs another lert ! Seriously tho I thought this was a good flik. I liked the motorcycles. Does anyone know if that
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stadium was where the Detroit Lions played ball ? Just wondering.
This is your Police Department follows a fresh recruit of the police force from his training to his beats on the streets of Detroit. First of all, when
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he is trained, it appears that half of it is done in your skivvies. Um. Why this is is never explained. After 3 months of training, (some with their clothes on) Youre off to the streets of Chicago, where hes helping lost kids, writing tickets and stealing newspapers from traveling homeowners. Soon, hes promoted to a squad car!! Their first call.. FAMILY TROUBLE!!! (Domestic Situation hadnt entered the English language apparently). Unfortunately, its only a bickering wife giving him an earful about how her and her husband can argue any way they want, and if they want to throw things around, then thats all right! The policeman runs out of there, tail between his legs. Soon, theres off to another call! A hold up at a wage office! They go there, sirens blazing, and they enter.. We dont see what happens, but we hear gunshots, and the narrator said the recruits partner has been shot! By who is never explained.
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